Imperial Scepter

Time flies like an arrow; two days passed in the blink of an eye.

The fatigue in Gao Chun's body had completely dissipated, and the physical fatigue brought on by the last breakthrough to the Ancestral Aperture had been fully recovered.

The young man's body was once again filled with vibrant life. Without pausing for a moment, he began to attack the second acupoint.

Inside the room, he sat cross-legged, calming his mind and concentrating.

"Inner vision" focused on his second acupoint, continuously circulating pale purple profound energy to impact the acupoint's barrier.

Every second passed silently.

The soft light of dawn, the warm sun at noon, and the lingering glow of dusk flow past the window in turn.

As the last rays of sunlight faded, the moon hung high in the night sky, its cool light enveloping the entire Gaojia Village.

Gao Chun's forehead veins bulged, each one distinct like a coiled dragon.

Sweat rolled down his sharply defined jawline, dripping onto the cold bluestone floor, leaving a small, dark stain.

His sweat-soaked robe clung tightly to his back, outlining the boy's upright yet extremely taut spine.

Even though his fingertips trembled slightly from exhaustion, and his muscles twitched uncontrollably when his Xuan power was at its peak, he clenched his teeth and pressed his lips into a resolute straight line, refusing to stop for even a moment.

"Buzz—!"

A clear and resonant tremor resounded within the body, and the second acupoint was suddenly opened.

Gao Chun felt a sudden relaxation wash over him, as if all his bones had been removed, and he collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. His chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath, but his eyes gleamed with excitement.

He muttered to himself, "It's done... I've taken another step forward."

He dragged his leaden legs to the kitchen, hastily ate some food, and then collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

The next two days would inevitably be a period of physical weakness. But for Gao Chun, time was more precious than Xuanjing (mysterious crystals), and he would never waste a moment.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, he walked into the study with faint dark circles under his eyes.

Although there were still traces of tired red blood vessels in his eyes from the exhaustion of his profound energy, his gaze suddenly became clear and focused the moment his fingertips touched the yellowed pages of the book.

Turning to a book recording exotic customs, a faint smile curved his lips. He lightly tapped the pages with his fingertips and murmured, "So there are such ways of life. I've learned something new."

As he read about the intricate political and economic games, his brow furrowed slightly, and his fingertips unconsciously traced the edges of the pages.

Having taken in the magnificent and majestic landscape, his eyes shone, as if his soul had already entered those breathtaking landforms.

Various classic texts were a source of nourishment for him.

He spent the day in his study, immersing himself in the ocean of knowledge and constantly enriching his mind.

He knew that a truly powerful cultivator not only needed a body as solid as a rock, but also a brilliant mind capable of strategizing and planning.

The next day, before dawn, the morning mist had not yet dissipated.

Gao Chun got up early again, sat cross-legged in the center of the room, and closed his eyes to concentrate.

Although the physical weakness caused by opening the second acupoint has not fully recovered, it is much better than yesterday.

He judged that today was a good time to try cultivating his artistic conception.

Cultivating one's mental state is not as intense as striking acupoints, and it puts very little strain on the body.

He knew in his heart that his current state of mind would not be very efficient in conveying the essence of the text.

But time waits for no one!

He's almost twelve and a half years old, but he's still only at the fourth level of the Bronze Realm.

He must grasp the fifth realm of meaning as soon as possible.

What he chose was the essence of earth.

He carefully took out several earth-attribute mystical objects from his storage bag, and began to absorb and refine them by circulating the "Five Elements Divine Exploration Technique" at a high purity.

Suddenly, he felt as if he had entered a world of yellow earth.

The loess world is heavy and profound, capable of crushing the heavens and destroying gods and demons, leaving only an unchanging and steadfast existence between heaven and earth.

The loess shield is indestructible, exuding a rugged and ancient aura. It can withstand thunder and block raging flames, and no one can break through its barrier.

The loess city wall is majestic and continuous, piled up with hundreds of millions of years of vicissitudes. It can block thousands of troops and resist calamities. No attack can penetrate its defense line.

The weapons made of loess are powerful and fierce, carrying the roar of the earth. They can split mountains and shatter rocks, and cut through illusions. No powerful enemy can withstand their sharpness.

The loess plateau rises abruptly from the ground, bearing the will of heaven and earth, able to suppress evil spirits and stabilize the universe; no turmoil can shake its foundation.

In this pure loess world, the weight of the soil is a law etched into the marrow, and its resilience is a belief that runs through the universe.

Every inch of loess carries an unshakable power, and every breath of earth exudes a boundless, all-encompassing grandeur.

Despite his physical discomfort, Gao Chun focused his mind intently, constantly observing the various changes in the loess world, and appreciating its weight, resilience, and myriad transformations.

Although waves of exhaustion washed over him, he gritted his teeth and persevered, his mind completely absorbed in the task, daring not to slacken in the slightest.

Time passed slowly, the sun set, and night fell as dark as ink over the entire Gaojia Village.

The whole day passed quietly like that.

When Gao Chun exited his cultivation state, his forehead was drenched in sweat, his body trembled like a candle flickering in a storm, and his face was as pale as paper.

But a satisfied smile graced his face.

Although today's training failed to bring him into the realm of earth magic, he felt he had gained a great deal.

He was confident that if he had another three to five days, even with his exhausted body, he would be able to successfully enter the realm of earth magic!

After a quick wash, Gao Chun, exhausted, went to bed. In his dream, he saw himself wreaking havoc, flying through the air and disappearing into the earth like a demon god, revered by thousands.

A new day has begun, and the sun is shining brightly outside the window.

Gao Chun felt refreshed and in excellent physical condition, having recovered to his peak.

Every cell, every inch of flesh and blood, is full of explosive power and brimming with youthful vitality.

"Being young is wonderful!"

Feeling his body fully restored, Gao Chun couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Without further hesitation, he began his arduous practice to break through the third acupoint.

On the first day of his period of exhaustion, he retreated to his study to fill his mind with knowledge.

On the second day of his period of exhaustion, he stayed indoors and devoted himself to understanding the essence of earth.

If he felt stifled, he would stroll to the training ground and quietly observe for a while.

Day after day, week after week.

Attacking acupoints, immersing oneself in books, and comprehending artistic conceptions—these three things constitute the daily life of a pure ascetic, repeating endlessly without interruption.

There was no frolicking, nor any slackness; time flowed quietly in this tedious yet fulfilling ascetic practice.

In just two short months, time flew by like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall.

When Gao Chun awoke from another period of deep cultivation, he was a boy of twelve years and four months.

He was taller and more upright than before, his shoulders were a little broader, and his eyes showed a composure rarely seen in people his age.

That afternoon, sunlight streamed through the window and fell on the pages of the book, casting dappled shadows.

He was engrossed in reading ancient books, his fingertips hovering over a passage about the realm of the Xuanzhe (a type of cultivator), his gaze so focused that he even held his breath, afraid of disturbing the tranquility.

Suddenly, there was a knocking sound at the door outside the courtyard.

Along with the knocking, Huang Xiaoming called out eagerly and urgently, "Brother Chun! Is Brother Chun home?"

Gao Chun, who was reading, suddenly looked up, his focused gaze instantly replaced by confusion. He paused, then closed the book and stood up, the cool touch of the pages still lingering on his fingertips. He muttered to himself, "Huang Xiaoming? What's he doing here?"

He had just reached the courtyard gate, and before he could even open it, a clear, joyful shout came through the door again, the voice almost splitting into two: "Brother Chun, Brother Chun, it's so good to have you home!"

Gao Chun raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "This kid is quite impatient."

A faint smile appeared on her face as she reached out and opened the courtyard gate, her voice steady yet familiar: "You've arrived. Did you need something?"

As soon as the door opened, Huang Xiaoming's round face, beaming with smiles, came closer.

He was carrying an exquisite red lacquered carved wooden box, the surface of which was polished to a shine.

Seeing Gao Chun open the door, his eyes narrowed instantly, and he proudly presented the wooden box, his voice filled with a boastful excitement: "Brother Chun! I've advanced to the second star of the Bronze Realm!"

Before he finished speaking, without waiting for Gao Chun to greet him, he picked up the wooden box and ran into the courtyard, bowing and scraping all the way.

The hem of his exquisite long gown flew up as he ran, making him look as sturdy as an endearing little ball.

Huang Xiaoming is eleven and a half years old this year, one year younger than Gao Chun. His round face has a pair of bright, clever eyes.

Gao Chun looked at him like this and became even more puzzled.

Why did you come to me to tell me the good news that you've been promoted to two stars?

Despite his confusion, he was still worldly-wise and stepped aside to let him in, a gentle smile on his face.

"Congratulations, Xiaoming. You've finally reached the second star of the Bronze Realm. Not bad, keep it up and keep working hard."

While offering polite congratulations, Gao Chun felt a pang of regret.

Huang Xiaoming is still out of touch.

Wang Hu had just advanced to the Bronze Realm three-star a few days ago. Of the five multi-colored Dao Seed youths in Gaojia Village, only Huang Xiaoming is still hovering around the two-star level.

Even his little niece Gao Chengyao, who had just been born with a Dao Seed, was already at the Bronze Realm, Star One.

Originally, Gao Chun planned to have Huang Xiaoming join the team. As long as he had a green Dao Seed, they could form a standard five-person team.

But ever since returning from the Southern Wilderness Forest, seeing everyone's cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds except for Huang Xiaoming's slow progress, Gao Chun's initial thoughts gradually faded.

For the past two months, he hadn't contacted Huang Xiaoming at all. Unexpectedly, the guy came knocking on his door himself.

"A guest is a guest, please have a seat." Gao Chun gestured to the stone bench and asked directly, "What brings you here?"

"Okay!" Huang Xiaoming replied, carefully approaching the stone table.

He first gently placed the wooden box on the table, then repeatedly wiped his hands on his fine clothes as if they were dirty, his tone respectful to the point of humility:

"Brother Chun, I heard you formed the High-Purity Team. The four of you even went to the Southern Wilderness Forest for training, and you acquired four Xuan Niu bulls, as well as many other treasures!"

Huang Xiaoming gave a thumbs up, his admiration undisguised, "You guys are amazing! I'm incredibly impressed!"

"You must be exhausted from cultivating so diligently." He changed the subject, lightly tapping the wooden box with his fingertips. "This is a Mystic Fruit my father specially bought for you in Jiuyang Town. It's said to help you comprehend the essence of things and quickly advance your cultivation level. Please accept it!"

As he spoke, he gently loosened the clasp.

With a soft "click," the wooden box opened.

A dozen or so fist-sized fruits came into view.

The fruit peel is deep purple, with a lustrous sheen, like a gemstone immersed in water. Mystic energy swirls around it, forming a thin layer of mist, making it a rare and precious second-grade mystic fruit.

Moreover, it has all the necessary attributes, which clearly indicates that a large sum of money was spent on it.

Gao Chun's gaze lingered on the Xuan Fruit for a moment, a half-smile curving his lips.

He and Huang Xiaoming were childhood friends, so he didn't stand on ceremony. He looked up at him and said directly, "You don't come here without a reason. Tell me, what do you want from me with such a generous gift?"

Huang Xiaoming's smile widened, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

He rubbed his hands together, leaned forward, the chair leg scraping softly on the floor, and said in a low voice, "Brother Chun, you have an eye for talent! I'm here today because I have a favor to ask; I'd like to join your team."

"Your team only has 4 people right now, a standard team has 5 people, so adding me is just right."

"We're both from Gaojia Village, we see each other all the time. I admire you from the bottom of my heart, and it's my good fortune to be able to follow you, Brother Chun!"

As he spoke, he didn't forget to flatter, leaning forward slightly and speaking with a hint of ingratiation: "The team you've assembled is full of multi-colored Dao Seed geniuses from our Gao Family Village. I happen to be a multi-colored Dao Seed myself, which perfectly matches your team's requirements."

Upon hearing this, Gao Chun raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the stone table, making a soft "tap tap tap" sound, as if he were weighing something.

"Want to join my team? But right now, all four of us are only Bronze Realm 3-star, and you're only Bronze Realm 2-star. Aren't you just dragging us down?"

He hesitated for a moment, deliberately showing a troubled expression, and his tone was somewhat difficult.

He was deliberately testing Huang Xiaoming.

Huang Xiaoming is a smooth person. Under his father's guidance, he is experienced in handling affairs and has excellent interpersonal relationships.

He wanted to see how the other man would respond to his difficult behavior.

"Brother Chun! Don't underestimate me!" Huang Xiaoming immediately straightened his back, patted his chest, and raised his voice several decibels, his tone confident, "Although my cultivation level is low, my skills can definitely be a great help to the team!"

"First of all, I'm best at gathering information!" His eyes lit up, as if he had opened a floodgate. "I'm familiar with the villages around our Gao Family Village, and I know all the young geniuses our age. Their Dao seed color, cultivation level, hobbies and specialties are all in my head."

"For example, Zhao Family Village to the west has three two-color Dao Seed geniuses: one with red and yellow, one with blue and purple, and one with red and green. Then there's Wu Family Village to the east; they're even worse off, with only two two-color Dao Seed youth geniuses..."

Huang Xiaoming spoke fluently and eloquently, and he knew the young prodigies in the surrounding villages like the back of his hand.

Gao Chun's eyes lit up noticeably.

He knew that Huang Xiaoming was good at socializing and enjoyed making friends with people, all thanks to his father's teachings.

But he didn't expect Huang Xiaoming's social network to be so extensive.

If we had such a skilled communicator, our team could get advance notice of any interactions with teams from neighboring villages, making things much easier.

He had already accepted Huang Xiaoming joining the team, but he still frowned, wanting to make things difficult for Huang Xiaoming a little more.

Gao Chun put on a stern face and said in a serious tone like a little adult: "Your ability to gather information is not enough to join our team. As you know, teams emphasize teamwork. We will often go to the Southern Wilderness Forest for training in the future. With such a low cultivation level, you will become a burden to our team sooner or later."

Huang Xiaoming was really anxious now, and fine beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

He quickly added his advantage: "Brother Chun, Brother Chun, no! I won't be a burden!"

"Although my cultivation level is only at the second level of the Bronze Realm, besides knowing information about the surrounding villages, I can also take care of the team's logistics and so on."

"Our team must have a lot of miscellaneous tasks on a regular basis, such as purchasing training resources, handling loot, managing the team's base, and coordinating relationships between team members. I can handle all of these tasks!"

"In the future, if our team needs to collaborate with other teams or participate in competitions and needs to liaise with organizers, I can handle everything, ensuring our team runs smoothly without any worries!"

"And also, Chun-ge," Huang Xiaoming said, getting more and more excited and speaking faster, "I can cook! I'm an excellent cook of Xuan dishes. Our team trains hard, so I promise to make everyone delicious Xuan rice and meat dishes every day to replenish their energy..."

He rattled off a long list, covering everything from intelligence gathering and logistical support to external liaison and resource procurement, essentially taking on all the miscellaneous tasks the team could be involved in.

Even as he spoke until his throat was dry, he kept a close eye on Gao Chun's expression, his eyes filled with eager anticipation.

Gao Chun's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected his childhood friend, who was a year younger than him, to know so much.

He looked Huang Xiaoming up and down, thinking to himself: This kid isn't focused on cultivation, does he just waste his time on these things?

Meanwhile, Gao Chun was actually becoming more and more satisfied.

Huang Xiaoming's strengths may seem like "odd jobs," but they are indispensable to a team.

A team not only needs skilled fighters, but also someone who can handle logistics, intelligence, communications, and other mundane tasks in an orderly manner.

Moreover, Huang Xiaoming is indeed very eloquent and has excellent social skills. In the future, the team will definitely have to deal with all sorts of people, and having him around will certainly save a lot of trouble.

Intelligence gathering, in particular, is crucial in team competition.

Knowing your opponent's situation in advance allows you to develop targeted tactics, greatly increasing your chances of winning.

But Gao Chun's face remained stern, his sharp eyes fixed on Huang Xiaoming like a hawk's, his tone indifferent: "That's all? These are all trivial chores that anyone could do."

"Our team needs players who can fight and contribute, not people who can be housekeepers."

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over my head.

Huang Xiaoming felt a chill run down his spine under Gao Chun's gaze, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his clothes. His heart was pounding, and the smile on his face was starting to falter. His lips were stiffly tugged, but he still gritted his teeth and persevered, daring not to back down in the slightest.

He knew all too well that this was his only chance.

Only by joining the high-purity team can he escape his mediocre fate and have a bright future.

If he misses this opportunity, with his talent, he will probably only be able to struggle at the bottom for the rest of his life.

For this goal, he must persevere no matter how difficult things get.

He still remembers his father's advice to him: "Xiaoming, in this world, when you are not a genius, find a team of geniuses to join, and you will become a friend of geniuses and benefit for life."

"In this world, everyone is working hard and sweating. But who knows what the future holds? Choice is more important than effort."

If you make the right choice, your efforts will yield the expected results. If you make the wrong choice, the harder you work, the further you stray from the right path, and the more miserable you will become in the end.

He deeply agreed with his father's teachings and believed that choice was more important than effort.

He knew that his dual-colored Dao Seeds were not genius-level, and that the Dao Seeds were born relatively late, so he didn't have much potential for development in cultivation.

"If I want to live a good life and reach the top, I have to rely on connections and build relationships. And Gao Chun from my village and his Gao Chun team are the best choice for me."

"The four members of the Gao Chun team know each other very well. They are all childhood friends who grew up in the same village, so there is no need to worry that they will use me as cannon fodder."

"After joining this team, I will grow together with them and develop bonds and feelings for them."

When they become successful, they'll never forget their old brother, and they'll surely lend him a hand.

Huang Xiaoming knew exactly what was going on.

He clenched his fists, which were hidden in his sleeves, his nails almost digging into his palms, and a look of determination he had never seen before flashed in his eyes.

"Even if I face repeated difficulties, even if I have to empty my pockets, even if I have to give up all my dignity, this time, I must join Gao Chun's team and stay by Gao Chun's side."

[PS: This is a long chapter of nearly 6000 words. I've updated three chapters today, totaling over 12000 words. From now on, when you see my updates, don't focus on the number of chapters; the word count per chapter isn't fixed, but I'll be posting 10,000 words every day!]